Actor Jim Carrey has released a statement following the death of his former partner Cathriona White.

The Tipperary native was found dead at a residence in California late last night.

Ms White, who was in an on-off relationship with Carrey, was discovered by friends at her home in Sherman Oaks.

In a statement released earlier, Mr Carrey said: "I am shocked and deeply saddened by the passing of my sweet Cathriona.

"She was a truly kind and delicate Irish flower, too sensitive for this soil, to whom loving and being loved was all that sparkled.

"My heart goes out to her family and friends and to everyone who loved and cared about her. We have all been hit with a lightning bolt."

The pair met in 2012 after she moved from Ireland to pursue a career as a make-up artist in Los Angeles.

They began dating two years after the end of his relationship with model and TV personality Jenny McCarthy and, while they broke up after only a few months together, they had reportedly rekindled their romance in May.